


The Scarlet Tree

by KoKoa_B (J_Linz)



Series: A Martian and a Human [4]
Category: DCU (Comics), Martian Manhunter (Comics)
Genre: Camp Nanowrimo, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-03
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-07 10:52:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4260555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_Linz/pseuds/KoKoa_B
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martian Manhunter has been on Earth for quite some time. He’s adapted to earthling ways and wants nothing but to protect his second home and its citizens. However, something reminds him he had a former purpose in life. Given a warning from two White Martians, he is stuck in a dilemma: protect his new home or reunite with those closer to his own species.</p><p>As the White Martians set in motion “The Epiphany”, J’onn J’onzz saves a plane from meeting its doom. Doing what he has felt was right, he saves the life of a severely injured woman. But, he soon finds that doing so gives the two an unexpected connection.</p><p>*Based on New 52 Martian Manhunter comics*<br/>*J'onn J'onzz/Martian Manhunter belongs to DC Comics*<br/>*Additional tags will be added later*<br/>*My July 2015 Camp NaNoWriMo project*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Just wanted to let you guys know that I'm not sure exactly how "mature" this story is going to get. I don't write violence and gore as well and I know for sure that there will be at least one sex scene! So the rating might change as well as archive warnings and tags. Please enjoy! ^_^

_"Blood is that fragile scarlet tree we carry within us." ~Osbert Sitwell_

_ Chapter One _

__

The cab driver honked his horn and made the woman grumble inside her apartment. She'd rarely been punctual, but this was the wrong time to be late; she would miss her flight.

“Alright, alright! Don’t have an aneurysm! I’m coming!” she yelled out her apartment window. She gathered her luggage; at least she had packed last night! The only thing left was to make sure things were off and locked. Melody barreled down the stairs, surprised that the cabbie helped her with the bags.

“Friends throw you a wild party, eh?”

“Uh… no. I don’t… have any friends. Just overslept.” she mumbled as she got in. As they took off, she sighed happily. Not even waking up late would ruin what lay ahead: a well-deserved vacation!

She rushed through the terminal to get her bags and passport checked. She smiled down at the brochure: Australia. It took her months to think of a location to visit; her co-workers warned her about the dangers that lurked all over the continent. Even the tiniest of animals were able to inflict death! Melody wasn’t worried about it. Her destination was Sydney, and she knew that there was more to Australia than venomous snakes, freakishly large, deadly spiders and crocodiles!

Melody worked at the same company since she graduated from college a few years ago. She was a hard worker, rewarded with a couple promotions even though she was soft spoken. Melody was glad she couldn't lead anyone yet; if she had her way, she'd stay the boss’s personal assistant. It paid well enough; the only thing that mattered to her!

Her boss saw she was awkward even after all that time. He suggested for the vacation to somewhere exotic, preferably out of North America! She chose Australia because it was one of the few places whose atmosphere wasn't overly romantic. Melody had no significant other.

She perked up as they announced the boarding and got in line. The one thing she wasn’t looking forward to: the almost daylong trip. The most time difference she ever experienced was two hours; she would be severely jet lagged! However, she would have two weeks to adjust, and she was determined to make the best of her time.

The plane was enormous; she was surprised to find she would be comfortable for the entire trip! Melody found her seat next to an older man who gave her the warmest of smiles. By the seats arrangement, the two wouldn’t even touch elbows! She returned the smile as she sat. Before she could acknowledge the man further, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She swiped it at once and smirked at the message:

_Have a safe trip, lucky bastard :P_

She lied to the cabbie when he asked about her friends. But she only had a few; a close knitted circle. They weren’t like the others in the office; most hit the local bars even after work. Melody and her four friends maybe went out once a month; they preferred simple nights inside or at the least going out to the movies. If they were all still in high school, they would be immediately pinned as nerds!

**_Shut up weirdo! I offered to bring you…_ **

_To AUSTRALIA?!?! No thanks! If you get eaten by a shark, can I have your apartment?? :D_

**_I already told Chris he could have it!_ **

_Ugh! Really?? It’s gonna smell funny…_

**_XD XD I’ll update from facebook for you guys_ **

_Yeah, yeah: luv ya! Take plenty of pics!_

**_Of course! Love you too_ **

“Talking to your husband…?” the man spoke. Melody smirked and shook her head.

“No. I’m not married. That was just my best friend. My goofy best friend!”

“You’re traveling alone. Business?”

“Actually, a vacation. To ‘find myself’ as my boss puts it! So… what’s your excuse?”

“Retired. This is something on my bucket list.”

“… Oh…” she felt bad about her smirk. The man noticed and chuckled.

“There’s nothing wrong with me; I’m in perfect health! I plan on living well into my hundreds!” he smiled. It was Melody’s turn to give out a small laugh.

“Optimism is good.”

“And… you don’t have to wait until you’re old to start doing things on your bucket list. If you have the means, do it as soon as you can. You never know what will happen…” he looked at her. She couldn’t help but to wonder at the sudden gleam in his eye; was he trying to tell her something? The man cleared his throat and looked at the paper in his lap, “I hear Sydney is beautiful at this time of year.”

“… Yeah. I hope so…”

 

Things went smooth for majority of the trip. Whenever they were able to use the Internet, Melody jumped at the chance to chat with her friends as well as try to catch up on the news. Nothing of importance as usual; a few mentions of the various members of the Justice League doing what they did best. The older man and she chatted about the presence of superheroes in the world. They both agreed that superheroes were harmless enough and had the public’s well-being in mind. Their presence annoyed so many people; they felt they got in the way of what public service people were meant to do. Melody saw nothing wrong with that. In fact, she knew that certain circumstances needed a superhero’s touch. After their talk, she ate her dinner and tried to get some sleep.

The sun hitting her closed eyelids made her wake from her slumber. The elderly man stayed fast asleep as she stretched and got up to use the latrine. She couldn’t wait until she got to her hotel; the first thing she was going to do was take a long hot shower! Melody brushed her teeth and washed her face before the buzzing in her pocket made her jump. While she did enjoy the older man and their conversations, she didn’t know him well enough to leave her phone out in the open. Melody looked at her phone and almost dropped her toothbrush.

_Holy shit; guess you picked the right time to be in the air!!_

**_What’s going on…?_ **

_Terrorist attacks!_

**_What?! where?!_ **

_Everywhere!!_

**_It’s too early to be joking!_ **

_Seriously; check! We’re ok. But they’re telling everyone to stay inside._

She was about to text until she wobbled inside of the small bathroom. The seatbelt sign flashed as she tried to balance herself. Great; turbulence, she thought to herself as she made her way back to her seat. She put her seatbelt on but grabbed her laptop. Checking everywhere, she saw that her friend was right. Bombs detonated in large cities. A few world leaders assassinated; pure chaos. Her heart thumped as she read one of the articles.

“Oh? It’s already started…” the man startled her. She slowly looked at him.

“Wha…” she noticed he held something in his hand. Before she questioned it, she felt an excruciating pain in her abdomen followed by an uncomfortable burn. She looked down and saw that the man had stabbed her; the slight upward thrust put her in too much shock. It hurt to breathe, making it impossible to call out for help… or warn anyone that he had something else in his hand: a detonator. Melody gasped for air as an exploding sound engulfed her ears, making the entire plane lurch forward. She winced as he pulled the knife out, producing a raspy and shrilled gasp as bright red blood squirted towards him. White spots gathered in her line of vision as she gaped at the man wide eyed. Tears ran from her eyes as she wanted to ask him why he had done such a thing. She immediately tried in vain to cover her wound. Another large “boom” sounded that rocked the plane and there was no denying it; they were falling from the sky. The oxygen masks dropped and many of the passengers started putting them on. Melody was in too much pain to grab at hers; the only thing she could do was clutch at the hole where her blood was leaving her. She gaped at the man as he smiled at her… revealing monstrous, sharp teeth.

“It’s only because you were nice to me that I did this. You’ll be dead by the time the plane crashes so… you won’t feel it.” he explained. Melody was already gasping for air; he was right. She knew that she needed to save her strength but thought against it; she was going to die no matter what.

“Who… what… are… y-y-you…? Why…” it hurt for her to even speak. The man gave out a low chuckle.

“I’m the one who’s going to help take over your planet.” when his eyes started to glow red, hers widened. He wasn’t human, she realized.

She heard the plane screaming towards the Pacific Ocean; it drained out some of the panicking passengers. Melody wanted to curse at herself for not being more outgoing in her life. She didn’t even have any children. A part of her was glad; the feeling of leaving a child behind was wrenching. She thought about what whoever or whatever that sat beside her told her. He spared her a more horrendous death. Whoever tried to take over her planet may not be so merciful towards the remaining humans. Maybe she should be at peace with what happened to her and thank him.

No one paid attention to the thud from the top of the plane; many saw their lives flash before their eyes. Melody looked up in time to see something come through the plane from above… phasing right through the metal as though it was water. Her eyes widened at the sight: a large, green Martian. Was he one of the ones who would take over her planet, she wondered. Why would he be there; to make sure that the plane would crash?

His cape flowed as he stood in the aisle, accessing the situation. She experienced tunnel vision but her eyes stayed on him as long as they allowed her. His outfit made him look majestic; the only true thing threatening about him? His height! Even his red eyes carried compassion as they landed on her. He was there… to save them.

She wanted to ask for help but she knew that he saw the blood when his eyes widened. She weakly stared at him, her hands shaking; she only hoped that he could read the despair in her eyes. He touched his temple as he looked at everyone else.

“ _SLEEP_ …” the last thing her mind registered as darkness enveloped her. She was no longer in a panic, she no longer felt the pain; Melody Whitmore was at peace.

 

J’onn needed to calm everyone on board; the only way to do so was to induce sleep. He was returning from the moon when he noticed the plane descending. He tried to keep the plane in the air but if it continued to fly, the fuselage would give out and kill everyone on board before it crashed. J'onn had another plan.

“The Epiphany has begun…” a voice startled him as he began his own descent out of the plane. J’onn looked up, surprised to see someone still awake, “We need you, J’onn, to turn this planet red.”[1] the man’s eyes glowed red. J’onn knew who he was, or at least what he was. He chastised the Martian for pretending to be a superhero when they both knew what he truly was… and his purpose. The thought angered him as he descended from the plane.

 “You are wrong and I will prove it!” he snarled as he began his transformation. The Martian shifted into a gigantic green dragon. He was large enough to grab the plane and guide it to the safety of a nearby island, moments before touching the water. The plane barreled into the sand before stopping as J’onn released his grip and took the humans out of their induced sleep. The act made him weary as he laid in the sand long enough to let his body transform naturally. Enough time passed to contemplate what he'd been through that day… and the start of his life on Earth. The one thing that the White Martian was right about: he was not a superhero. He was a mere Martian; the last of the Green Martians. But he did not believe that his sole purpose was to be a weapon of mass destruction.

“M-M-Monster!” a voice interrupted his thoughts. J’onn opened his eyes and saw the terrified gleam in a small boy’s eyes. He figured that his transformation wasn’t complete and tried his best to shift back into his “regular” form.

“No. It’s okay. You’re safe. I’m a member of the Justice League and…” he tried to explain. But, the little boy had seen enough and ran back to the others.

“Mom!! There’s a monster!! It made us crash!!”

“Don’t…” he hesitated before going after him. Maybe the adults would be less hysterical. He was not a monster, he argued with himself.

All the passengers were off the plane, wandering around the island. As J’onn approached, he remembered that there would be one still on board. Instead of approaching the humans, he made his way inside of the plane. Sure enough, she was the only one left. She slipped in and out of consciousness although the blood from her wound didn't bleed as much as before. She still lost enough blood; someone stabbed her, he realized. J’onn unbuckled her and carried her off the plane.

The others stopped what they were doing to watch as the Martian carried the human in his arms. The boy from before tugged at the hem of his mother’s skirt.

“That’s the monster! He’s trying to take that woman away!!”

“S-Shush! He’s… what is he doing?”

“Is she bleeding? Did he hurt her…?”

“For God’s sake, he’s saving her!”

“Did… did he save us all…?” with his extrasensory hearing, even as they murmured, he still heard them. His mind went elsewhere, and he knew he had no time to worry about what the others thought of him.

When she came to, her entire body felt heavy. The throbbing in her stomach region came back and did nothing to ease her disorientation. As she opened her eyes, her vision was cloudy; the darkness still threatened around her peripherals. She realized she was no longer sitting: someone was carrying her… and he wasn’t human. She wished the cool temperature that emanated from his body could relieve the fiery sensation from her stomach. The Martian came into her sight when he gently laid her on the ground. His face appeared human enough, aside from the green skin, red eyes and tapered brow.

J’onn eyed her curiously as she stared back at him. It was rare that someone would look at him without fear.

“Why are you not afraid of me?” his deep voice resonated; his curiosity got the best of him. Melody felt weaker by the moment but she still managed a small smile.

“Because… I’m dead. Only way to… explain it…” she half mumbled. J’onn returned the smile. Even on the brink of death, she managed to have a sense of humor. He looked down at the wound; he knew what he had to do.

“You’re injured. I can help you.”

“… ‘Kay…”

“Someone get the first aid kit!” he heard. He had to give them some credit, but he knew that mere bandages would do nothing. The knife punctured an organ; stopping the bleeding alone would only buy her so much time. J’onn looked at the blood that covered part of her shirt and lifted it; the blood was almost black. Her liver, he realized. Why would the White Martian stab her, he asked himself. He expected her to die before the crash… she wouldn’t had felt the impact. A White Martian showed sympathy for a human in its own twisted way.

“I’m sorry. This will hurt.” he could waste no more time. He had no idea how far a hospital would be. Even if they arrived promptly, would the surgeons operate in time? J’onn doubted it. He used his heat vision to help repair the damage, focusing first on her lacerated liver. Melody gasped as her body shook from the pain. She was about to yell out in excruciating pain until the shock of it all made her pass out. While he was a bit worried about her, he was glad that she passed out; he didn’t have to hold her down to keep her still.

J’onn made quick work of the repair to her liver; he narrowed his hand so it could fit through the hole to check on his work. He sighed in his mind; the bleeding had slowed drastically: the woman was out of critical condition.

“Oh, God… I’m gonna be sick…”

“Is he supposed to that?”

J’onn sighed louder than he meant to; at least they let him work on the woman! He removed his hand and closed up the knife wound with another beam of heat vision. He hoped the woman wouldn’t take it too hard about the scar she would have; that she would be grateful she was alive instead. He looked up at the crowd that gathered around the two.

“Is anyone else injured?” he asked with concern in his voice. He did a quick scan of their minds and found no one else had any serious injuries, “Please do not wander off too far; I will return with more help.” he assured them as he cradled the woman in his arms.

“See, mom; I told you he’s taking that woman!”

“… I am not kidnapping her. She’s the only one who needs immediate medical attention.” he looked solemnly at the young boy. There was no use arguing with him; J’onn hoped the boy's mother would talk some sense into him as he took the sky.

“… I am not a monster…”

* * *

 

[1] Taken from Martian Manhunter issue, “Weapon”.


	2. Two

_ Chapter Two _

__

Warmth. He couldn’t help holding her close to his chest; she was so warm. Why did humans carry this warmth? He knew the answer to that, at least the scientific and biological answer. The real question was: why did it give him so much comfort? He didn’t know her. He could be evasive and find out everything he wanted to know about her in a matter of seconds. But it would be rude and uncalled for. Plus he had no true reason to do it. J’onn just… enjoyed her warmth.

When he arrived at the hospital, he decided against shifting into a human. He simply walked in, explained to the staff about the woman and left. As much as he wanted to stay, he couldn’t; there were more important things to do. One was to make sure the five hundred he left on the island received transportation. The other? To try to resolve the situation about the White Martians. J’onn told himself that maybe he would check back at the hospital to make sure the staff took care of her.

Earlier that day, an old friend of his asked for his help. Astronauts on a simple mission had not reported in for a couple of days. The first worry was something with the communication signals. He thought that it would be something resolved in a matter of minutes. But, when he found the shuttle with the headless members inside, he knew that it would not be a simple task.

What made him speechless: the White Martian in front of him. It knew his name, taunted him… told him about The Epiphany. Those words refreshed his memory; the real reason he arrived on Earth. To observe, to report… to destroy. J’onn only did the observation part of his mission; he never thought there would be someone who treated him as though he was human. Someone who taught him that rewards came to good people who did good things. For every bad act committed, five acts of righteousness countered it. He learned that the humans… weren’t as bad as they seemed.

From there, he learned all the Earth languages and their mannerisms. He did something he should’ve done a long time ago: he ignored the fate the White Martians put on him. He wanted to be a being full of compassion; a champion of justice. It’s what the planet really needed: more people to fight for the right cause.

J’onn assumed the White Martians forgot about him; that they had let him and the planet be. Little did he know that, like him, they assumed human identities and lived among the humans. That they were simply waiting on the right time to begin their own mission and try to get their weapon back: J’onn J’onzz.

What was stopping them from continuing their mission? It was him, he realized. The White Martian from the plane had said it. They didn’t want him; they  **needed**  him. He was the key. As he made his way into the NASA building, he came up with a solution: without him, they would fail.

“Helen Demoff…” he didn’t want to startle his old friend. But she jumped and turned away from the television. She knew something was wrong; the last time he called her by her full name, J’onn was learning the English language.

“J’onn!”

“… I need you to kill me…”

 

She woke with a start, surprised that she was able to wake at all! Melody slowly let her eyes adjust to the bright light and moaned.

“No… I really **am** dead!” she squinted. The rest of her senses kicked in and she realized she wasn’t dead at all. She was in a hospital bed. Melody furrowed her forehead, trying to recall the last thing she remembered. Red eyes. Green skin. Martian. Her slight smile turned into a frown.

Plane crash. Bombs. Stabbed. Evil old man… or whatever he was! She looked down at her stomach; her clothes were replaced with a hospital gown. She lifted it only to find a scar where a hole should’ve been. The Martian… saved her. She was alive; sore and tired but Melody cared little about that!

As she adjusted to everything, Melody realized a dilemma: she had no idea where she was. She groaned; everything of importance was on the plane! For all the hospital staff knew, she was a Jane Doe brought in by an enormous Martian in superhero garb! He wouldn’t have thought to grab her belongings, would he?

Someone entering the room startled her but she realized it was a nurse and calmed down. The woman’s eyes widened a bit before she gave Melody a smile.

“You’re up!” American, Melody sighed. At least she was back in the states, “We just finished running tests; the doctor will come in and talk to you.”

“Where… am I…?”

“D.C.”

“I’m… home…? He… how did he know whe…”

“He’s Martian Manhunter; he just… knows things.”

“That’s… kinda creepy…” Melody mumbled, “Martian Manhunter? That’s his alias? That’s so… campy…” she smirked. The nurse chuckled as she checked her blood pressure.

“If you see him again… you make sure to tell him that!” she teased. For some reason, it was enough to make her blush. Would she ever see him again? She would want to tell him thank you.

The doctor walking in interrupted her thoughts. Melody smiled at first until she noticed something was off about the man. He smiled when he glanced at her and looked down at his chart. But Melody didn’t see a man; only an outline of one. His face had warped into a hideous white creature with red, gleaming eyes. Its vertical mouth snarled, exposing sharp teeth covered in its saliva. Melody’s heart raced; what was going on? Why was she seeing such a sight?

No matter how many times she blinked or rubbed her eyes, the image was the same. She was frozen in fear as the doctor looked up at her; his face mixed with the horrible image she saw. She was so enthralled into her fear, Melody couldn’t hear her heart monitor machine that gave out warnings. Her eyes widened, and she clenched the sheets in her bed.  _What’s going on?!_   _Why am I seeing this?! Am I dreaming… am I… dead?_

The only response the nurse got out of Melody were raspy breaths. She couldn’t make sense of the rapid change but knew she had to calm the woman down. The only thing she thought of as she rushed out of the room: the Martian tampering with her maybe had some side effect. When she returned, she put a sedative in her IV. Melody relaxed as it kicked in and was soon asleep.

 

He showed disappointment that his friend neglected his wish. But, J’onn saw she proved a point. The matter had to be taken care of; his death only delayed the inevitable. The problem was he didn’t think there was much hope. The Justice League received his telepathic message about The Epiphany and his apology. They would be after him to question his loyalty… and he didn't know where he stood. The only thing for sure: he didn't care to be a weapon.

It was foolish, but he told himself he needed to check on the injured woman. The notion made him glad Helen didn’t go through with killing him. He couldn’t explain it but he had an urge to see the woman. Possibly to check on her well-being; she might wanted to thank him for saving her. Although she went through shock, it surprised him that she wasn’t afraid of him.

J’onn walked inside the hospital; he knew that he would get the stares but he ignored them. The medical receptionist had a friendly, familiar face and he welcomed the smile she gave him.

“You’re here to check on the woman you dropped off…”

“Yes. Melody Whitmore.” he hoped that she hadn’t left.

“Whitmore… there she is! They put her on the third floor, room twenty-three. Looks like she’s getting released soon.”

“Room twenty-three. Thank you.”

“You know… it would be quicker if you just… fly up there!”

“… It would. But this is more polite.”

Melody couldn’t wait to get back to her apartment. She learned how to ignore what she called “the visions”. She didn't want to become institutionalized! But she still saw them and they still haunted her whenever she went to sleep. At first, she thought it was just her doctor. But, it spread to others. She rationalized it back to the Martian. He had made her see those visions.

She tried not to worry about it as she sighed and packed. Her best friend came to visit and brought her comfortable clothes and toiletries. Her boss felt terrible about what happened to her and gave her a few days off work. Melody looked forward to even more rest. The onslaught of terrorist attacks that happened bothered her, especially when she found out they happened worldwide at the exact time. The targets were major embassies and famous landmarks. Melody felt awful for those who lost their lives but was glad no one she knew suffered. 

A feeling interrupted her thoughts; she turned to look at who entered the room, surprised that Martian Manhunter stood in the doorway. Melody wanted to give him a friendly smile but “the vision” appeared. She tried to back away from him only to fall onto the bed. She scrambled up and had her back on the window. Melody knew that she shouldn’t be frightened; basic instincts made her flinch. Yet, the face she noticed was not as terrifying as the white monsters she'd seen during her hospital stay. It was just the simple fact she saw it within the Martian.

J’onn gave her a worried gaze; he didn’t think that she would cower in his presence. This was a different fear, he sensed.

“W-W-Why…? Why do I keep… seeing this?!” her breath left her. J’onn slowly approached her.

“What do you see?” he asked her. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Mon-” no; it was wrong to call him that. Besides, his vision wasn’t hideous compared to the others. Was she seeing his true form, she wondered. Did that mean that the others she saw signified a non-human? It started to make sense as she opened her eyes, “… Alien. Your… true form? W-W-What did you do to me?!” her eyes widened as he came face-to-face with her. J’onn carefully placed his hands on her temples.

“You… can see my true form?”

“Please… just… make it stop…” she begged. She acknowledged sympathy as she noticed the sad red eyes.

“Am I the only one you see like that?”

“No. The others are white.” her words made his eyes widen, “W-What does that mean?”

“You have Martian vision…” he used his own to make sure she wasn’t Martian. He would’ve known if she was, especially when he saved her life.

“I have… what?! What does that even mean?!”

“That means you are able to see through a shape shifter’s façade. You can see their true form. You don’t have control over this power but if you calm down and focus, I can help.” he looked at her. It relieved J’onn she wasn’t Martian but there was something else about her. He would dwell on it later, he told himself as he concentrated on the woman. 

Melody gave out a sigh and nodded as he pressed tight on her temples. It forced her to look at him and she took that opportunity to study him. His eyes were positioned more outward with a lean, oval shape. His mouth was horizontal just like the white creatures but he showed no snarl. The Martian’s expression was that of eerie sadness; it made her calm down even more.

Once she did, she noticed that there were two faces, two forms. The eyes came together to what she would call a normal position and the mouth faded. As she took deep breaths, the only thing she saw was his “normal” face. She blinked and narrowed her eyes; his true form tried to reappear. But when she lightly shook her head, it disappeared. Melody found a focal point. His true form, along with the white creatures, did not have a nose!

She subconsciously reached out and traced the outline of his nose. He was a shape shifter; why did he choose such a wide nose, she wondered. The shape wasn’t unattractive; it just made her curious. J’onn wrinkled his brow at the sensation in his stomach. Even her fingertips gave him comfort. He didn’t know why he felt that way; he gave her a small smile.

“I will take that as you have calmed your mind.” his voice made her retract her hand. She sensed the start of a blush spreading across her cheeks as he removed his hands.

“T-Thanks. Yeah. So… how do I have Martian vision? And does that mean the people I’ve seen are those white creatures in disguise? What are they?”

“You have a lot of questions, which you should. Perhaps this is not the right place to discuss things. Are you waiting for a ride?”

“N-No. I was going to call a cab. Are you offering to take me home?”

“If you didn’t mind. It may be the safest place. It is your home; you are likely more comfortable there.”

“That is true. But once we get there, you have to tell me everything!”

 

Melody felt self-conscious as she let the Martian inside her apartment. She kept it somewhat tidy, but this was a new guest. She started to see many things wrong as she made her way into her bedroom.

“Uh… I would say make yourself at home but, yeah. Make yourself comfortable, I guess?”

“That is appreciated; thank you.” although he was in the living room, his voice boomed throughout the entire place. Melody put her bag away and went back into the living room. The Martian wasn't there, and it made her worry.

“Um…” she hit a brick wall; calling him Martian Manhunter seemed too formal for her!

“Yes?” his voice came from the kitchen. She watched him curiously from the entrance as he rummaged through her cabinets.

“Is this one of your Martian habits; going through cabinets?”

“You said to make myself comfortable. Right now, I am in the mood for cookies, which fills me with comfort.”

“Normal people would park their butts on the couch!” when she realized what she said, Melody became flustered. A rather large Martian was standing in her kitchen; he was beyond normal! She smirked as she found the package of cookies, “All you had to do was ask, Mr. Manhunter…”

“… My friends call me J’onn.”

“A formal introduction! I’m Melody… which… you probably already know!” she narrowed her eyes at him and guarded the cookies. He gave her a surprised yet hurt look.

“I assure you that I don’t make it a habit of reading minds or gathering information unknowingly. You were unconscious, however…” he stopped his explanation when she started to laugh.

“Just giving you a hard time! Thanks for saving me, by the way…” she offered the cookies. J’onn took a few and nodded.

“It is what I do. I couldn’t possibly leave someone to die. But you’re very welcome, Melody.”

“Alright. Now that we’re both more comfortable…”

“The white creatures that you’ve seen are White Martians. We’re almost the same except they are more… volatile.”

“Why haven’t I seen any like… you?”

“I am the last Green Martian.” he answered somberly. Melody let out a gasp and covered her mouth.

“I’m… I’m so sorry!”

“It’s quite alright. You didn’t know. You’ve probably heard about the terrorist attacks.”

“Ye… oh, don’t tell me… the White Martians did all that?!”

“Yes. It’s part one of the invasion.” his words made the blood drain from her face. She suddenly remembered what the old man had told her after he stabbed her. He was one of the ones who would help take over her planet. She didn’t imagine his words; an invasion was going to happen!

“Oh, my God…” her knees weakened. J’onn steadied her as her brown eyes watered, “Oh… my… God! W-Why didn’t you just… let me… die…?”

“Because I will help stop it. And now it seems that I will need your help in doing so.”

“… What…?” she blinked at him.

“You’ve acquired one of my abilities. I plan to find out how. But I will not ignore fate.”

“… Fate? But… what can I do? I-I-I-I’m useless…”

“You are not useless. I will train you. But it will be strenuous; we don’t have much time. First, we need to find out how you have Martian vision.”


End file.
